A String Band Christmas With Old Crow Medicine Show

In 2025, the veteran string band Old Crow Medicine Show released OCMS Xmas, the first Christmas album in their lengthy career. Last season, we ran part of our conversation with Ketch Sekor and Morgan Jahnig from the band about its relationship to Christmas music and the album they made, but we had so many interviews at the time that we could only run part of it.

This week, I can run it in its entirety, which I think is worth it because while the band loves its down-home sound, they’re also students of the form and its history, so some real insights and personal moments slip into the conversation. I’m also always here for a band that doesn’t hide its class consciousness.

It helps that OCMS Xmas is also a very good Christmas album with a number of slyly smart touches throughout the album.